Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Cutter Scarsella (5)gets help from teammates Pablo Ruiz (25) and Josh Free (65) to stop Myles Richardson (3) early in the second half. The Valley Union sophomore added to the 30-0 halftime advantage with a 3-yard run. Valley Union left Packer Field with a 46-6 region win. Duncan hosts Lincoln Prep on Friday, Oct. 6-13.
Blue Devils spoil Duncan’s homecoming game
By Raymundo Frasquillo
DUNCAN – The Dan Coats-coached No. 20 Duncan Wildkats (1-6 overall, minus 8.3817 rating) host the No. 11 Chandler Lincoln Prep Lightning (4-4, 0.3086) for a non-region pairing on Friday, Oct. 13. It concludes the regular season.
The teams have yet to square off on the gridiron and Lincoln Prep is in its fourth season of competing as an A.I.A. team.
Other non-region contests for South Region members this week include Hayden at Saint David and Valley Union at Superior.
In region pairings this week, Ray visits Fort Thomas and San Manuel visits Baboquivari.
Lincoln Prep Lightning (4-4, 2-3)
The Paul Schubring-coached Lincoln Prep Lighting (4-4 overall, 2-3 East Region) has averaged a score of 32-36 (258-289) per game or a 4-point deficit.
Lincoln Prep has wins over Anthem Prep (66-6, Aug. 18), Joseph City (52-20, Aug. 25), Ray (22-14, Sept. 22), and Tempe Prep (50-8, Sept. 29) as well as losses to Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated (6-48, Sept. 7), Winkelman Hayden (26-83, Sept. 15), Scottsdale Cicero Prep (12-44, Sept. 26), and Superior (24-66, Oct. 5).
The Lightning also received a forfeit from Dishchii’bikoh (Oct. 13).
Duncan Wildkats (1-6, 1-5)
The 1-6 Dan Coats-coached Wildkats have averaged an 18-40 (128-283) score per game or a 22-point deficit.
Duncan has a win over Fort Thomas (12-0, Aug. 24) along with losses to New Mexico Lordsburg (36-64, Aug. 18), San Manuel (12-50, Sept. 1), Saint David (14-45, Sept. 8), Sells Baboquivari (32-42, Sept. 22), Ray (16-36, Sept. 29), and Valley Union (6-46, Oct. 6).
1A State Rankings
The Top 12 listed after Oct. 13 regular season pairings will be involved in the playoffs. None of the top dozen teams dropped out of the rankings.
Week Three rankings were Winkelman Hayden (7-0 overall, 17.9582 rating) as No. 1 of 25, Bagdad (7-1, 12.9215) No. 2, Scottsdale Cicero Prep (5-1, 9.871) No. 3, Salome (7-1, 9.1648) No. 4, Colorado City El Capitan (5-1, 7.5056) No. 5, Heber Mogollon (5-2, 7.4568) No. 6, San Manuel (6-2, 5.4147) No. 7, Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated (5-2, 4.9283) No. 8, Saint David (5-3, 3.5049) No. 9, Williams (3-3, 2.4654) No. 10, Chandler Lincoln Prep (4-4, 0.3086) No. 11, and Phoenix Maryvale Prep (3-3, minus 0.1900) No. 12.
Week Two rankings were Hayden (6-0 overall, 15.5799 rating) as No. 1 of 25, Bagdad (5-1, 10.5951) No. 2, Cicero Prep (5-0, 10.9524) No. 3, Salome (6-1, 7.2785) No. 4, Colorado City El Capitan (5-1, 7.1161) No. 5, Mohave Accelerated (5-1, 7.1032) No. 6, Mogollon (4-2, 5.6365) No. 7, San Manuel (5-2, 4.2006) No. 8, Williams (3-2, 3.3429) No. 9, Lincoln Prep (4-3, 2.9917) No. 10, Saint David (4-3, 2.8769) No. 11, and Maryvale Prep (2-3, 0.0961) No. 12.
Initial 1A Class statewide rankings (Sept. 26) had Hayden (6-0 overall, 14.6660 rating) as No. 1 of 25, Bagdad (5-1, 10.5951) No. 2, Salome (6-0, 9.2264) No. 3, Cicero Prep (3-0, 7.5780) No. 4, Mohave Accelerated (4-1, 6.6740) No. 5, El Capitan (4-1, 6.2542) No. 6, Mogollon (3-2, 5.0349) No. 7, Saint David (4-2, 3.8842) No. 8, Lincoln Prep (3-2, 3.3950) No. 9, Williams (2-2, 2.7614) No. 10, San Manuel (4-2, 1.7713) No. 11, and Maryvale Prep (2-3, 0.0490) No. 12.
Week Three rankings for the other South Region members were No. 13 Baboquivari (4-3, minus 0.2225), No. 14 Valley Union (5-3, minus 0.3069), No. 16 Ray (4-4, minus 0.5415), No. 20 Duncan (1-6, minus 8.3817), and No. 21 Fort Thomas (1-6, minus 10.1127).
Week Two rankings for the other region members were No. 13 Ray (4-3, minus 0.1768), No. 14 Baboquivari (4-3, minus 0.3118), No. 15 Valley Union (4-3, minus 0.8045), No. 19 Duncan (1-5, minus 7.5758), and No. 22 Fort Thomas (1-5, minus 10.3056).
The teams’ first listings were No. 13 Ray (4-3, minus 0.4003), No. 14 Baboquivari (3-3, minus 0.9082), No. 15 Valley Union (2-3, minus 1.5725), No. 19 Duncan (1-4, minus 6.7085), and No. 23 Fort Thomas (1-4, minus 9.3681).
1A South Region Standings
The current standings for South Region members are San Manuel (6-2 overall, 5-0 region) first, Saint David (5-3, 5-1) second, Sells Baboquivari (4-3, 3-2) third, Elfrida Valley Union (5-3, 3-3) fourth, Kearny Ray (4-4, 2-3) fifth, Duncan (1-6, 1-5) sixth, and Fort Thomas (2-6, 0-5) seventh.
San Manuel (5-0) has region wins over Duncan (50-12, Sept. 1), Valley Union (35-8, Sept. 15), Fort Thomas (62-12, Sept. 22), Saint David (16-14, Sept. 29), and Ray (40-6, Oct. 6);
Saint David (5-1) has region wins over Ray (50-0, Aug, 18), Baboquivari (47-8, Aug. 25), Duncan (45-14, Sept. 8), Valley Union (49-14, Sept. 22), and Fort Thomas (76-34, Oct. 6);
Baboquivari (3-2) has region wins over Fort Thomas (44-0, Aug. 18), Ray (28-24, Sept. 15), and Duncan (42-32, Sept. 22); Ray (2-2) has region wins over Valley Union (34-30, Aug. 25) and Duncan (36-16, Sept. 29); Valley Union (2-3) has region wins over Baboquivari (50-48, Sept. 1), Fort Thomas (52-24, Sept. 29), and Duncan (46-6, Oct. 6); and Duncan (1-4) defeated Fort Thomas (12-0, Aug. 24).
2023 Duncan opponents
Through seven weeks of play, Duncan’s opponents, minus pairings with the Wildkats, are a combined 26-28 (.481).
Lordsburg (2-4) defeated Duncan 64-36 (Aug. 18), fell 46-64 to Tatum (Sept. 1), 6-56 to Albuquerque Legacy Academy (Sept. 7), and 0-50 to Melrose (Sept. 15), and defeated Magdalena Alamo Navajo 54-0 (Sept. 22), and fell 20-48 to Menual (Oct. 5).
Fort Thomas (2-6) fell to Baboquivari (0-44, Aug. 18), Duncan (0-12, Aug. 24), and Superior (12-60, Sept. 1), received a forfeit from Dishchii’bikoh (1-0, Sept. 8), defeated Tempe Prep (64-20, Sept. 15), and fell to San Manuel (12-62, Sept. 22), Valley Union (24-52, Sept. 29), and Saint David (34-76, Oct. 6).
San Manuel (6-2) fell to Mogollon (0-38, Aug. 25) and Scottsdale Cicero Prep (34-38, Aug. 25), defeated Duncan (50-12, Sept. 1), Desert Heights Prep (45-30, Sept. 8), Valley Union (35-8, Sept. 15), Fort Thomas (62-12, Sept. 22), Saint David (16-14, Sept. 29), and Ray (40-6, Oct. 6).
Saint David (5-3) defeated Ray (50-0, Aug. 18) and Baboquivari (47-8, Aug. 25), fell to Bagdad (7-29, Sept. 1), defeated Duncan (45-14, Sept. 8), fell to Mogollon (8-44, Sept. 15), defeated Valley Union (49-14, Sept. 22), and fell to San Manuel (14-16, Sept. 29), and defeated Fort Thomas (76-34, Oct. 6).
Baboquivari (4-3) defeated Fort Thomas 44-0 (Aug. 18), fell 8-47 to Saint David (Aug. 25), 48-50 to Valley Union (Sept. 1), and 16-50 to Cicero Prep (Sept. 7), plus defeated Ray 28-24 (Sept. 15), Duncan 42-32 (Sept. 22), and Glendale Desert Heights Prep 64-46 (Sept. 29).
Ray (4-4) fell to Saint David (0-50, Aug. 18), defeated Valley Union (34-30, Aug. 25), Joseph City (45-8, Sept. 1), and Superior (36-26, Sept. 8), fell to Baboquivari (24-28, Sept. 15) and Lincoln Prep (14-22, Sept. 22), defeated Duncan (36-16, Sept. 29), and fell to San Manuel (6-40, Oct. 6).
Lincoln Prep (4-4) defeated Anthem Prep (66-6, Aug. 18) and Joseph City (52-20, Aug. 25), fell to Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated (6-48, Sept. 7) and Winkelman Hayden (26-83, Sept. 15), defeated Ray (22-14, Sept. 22), fell to Cicero Prep (12-44, Sept. 26), defeated Tempe Prep (50-8, Sept. 29), and fell to Superior (24-66, Oct. 6).
Valley Union – 46, Duncan – 6
Just as a large pizza was too much for the 2023 Duncan homecoming couch winner, the visiting Blue Devils were too much for the Wildkats. Following a scoreless first quarter, the visitors led 30-0 at halftime and 46-0 with 2:05 left in the third quarter.
Drawning winner freshman McKenzie Jones along with friends Lily Ford and Sophie Harris were treated to the comfortable sideline viewing area, complete with a large pepperoni pizza and a bottled beverage of their choice. Three slices remained at the conclusion of the game.
The Wildkats trailed 46-0 with a running clock activated before they could mount a sustained scoring drive. It was their second possession of the second half with the first ending in a fumble on 2nd-and-10.
Duncan covered 65 yards in 14 plays, starting with 1:28 left in the third quarter and they crossed the goal line with 3:24 left to play. Sophomore Isaiah Sumner scored on his final carry of the game and the conversion run was stopped.
Valley Union needed 73 yards, snapped the ball twice and the clock wound down with them in possession.
Duncan punted thrice after three plays, turned the ball over on downs twice after four and seven plays, was intercepted on one play, and ran out of time after a play during seven first-half possessions.
The Wildkats lost six of 45 needed yards before punting on 4th-and-16, netted eight yards plus 15 on a penalty of 46 before a no gain on 4th-and-2 yielded possession, gained three of 87 before punting on 4th-and-7, were 92 yards away when intercepted on 1st-and-10, gained 28 of 70 yards after seven plays as an incomplete pass on 4th-and-2 yielded possession, lost 15 of 52 yards before punting on 4th-and-25, and ran out of time needing 71 yards on st-and-10.
Duncan’s first-half offensive efficiency was seven percent (33-463) compared to 80 (333-415) for Valley Union.
The Blue Devils also were foiled during their initial two possessions, yielding the ball on downs and on a fumble. Valley Union gained 23 of 79 yards in four plays before an incomplete 4th-and-11 pass and 59 of 74 yards before fumbling on a 1st-and-15 fifth play.
However, the ensuing four possessions each resulted in scores. The Blue Devils covered 79 yards in 11 plays, 20 in one play, 58 (48 plus a 10 on penalties) in seven plays, and 25 in five plays. Four rushing touchdowns and three of four conversion runs were scored for a 30-0 advantage with 16 seconds left in the half.
Valley Union also scored on its first two second-half possessions, covering 74 yards in seven plays and 39 in three plays. Two conversion runs were also successful.
